The only noticeable difference is the skipper slotted Youkilis in the cleanup spot over David Ortiz, who hit fourth in the first two games of the season. It's likely a strategic move to help Youkilis shake off his early 0-for-8 start.

Filed under: Boston Red Sox, Didier Morais, Headlines, Leading Off, MLB, Preview, Toronto Blue Jays]]>http://nesn.com/2012/04/kevin-youkilis-to-bat-cleanup-as-red-sox-open-up-three-game-series-in-toronto/feed/00nesndmoraisStars’ First Return to Garden Since 2008 Brawl Should Serve as Reminder of Style Bruins Need to Playhttp://nesn.com/2011/02/stars-first-return-to-garden-since-2008-brawl-should-serve-as-reminder-of-style-bruins-need-to-play/
http://nesn.com/2011/02/stars-first-return-to-garden-since-2008-brawl-should-serve-as-reminder-of-style-bruins-need-to-play/#respondThu, 03 Feb 2011 13:03:00 +0000http://nesncom.wordpress.com/2011/02/03/stars-first-return-to-garden-since-2008-brawl-should-serve-as-reminder-of-style-bruins-need-to-play/Read More »]]> It was a memorable night at the Garden the last time the Dallas Stars came to town.

The Stars paid a rare visit to Boston back on Nov. 1, 2008, and the result was a 5-1 victory for the Bruins. But the real story was the fireworks ignited by the antics of Dallas agitators Steve Ott and Sean Avery, which led to 146 penalty minutes.

The parade to the penalty box included six fighting majors, seven misconducts, six roughing minors, five more minors for unsportsmanlike conduct and one seemingly endless ovation from the Garden faithful for the way the Bruins stuck together and stood up for each other en route to a resounding victory.

"This was the type of game that we needed at home," Bruins coach Claude Julien said that night. "We needed to have some life in our game and they created it. We've got great team chemistry in there and the guys are all, as you saw tonight, they all pull for each other and they'll go to battle for each other. That's the important part and that's a big part of having a highly successful hockey club."

It certainly was that year. That victory was the first of five straight for the Bruins. And that was just the beginning. The Bruins went 24-2-1 over the next 27 games and 34-5-3 over the next 42 as they soared to the top of the Eastern Conference standings.

Boston earned the top seed in the playoffs that year after finishing with 116 points, the most since the 1971-72 squad earned 119 en route to the franchise's last Stanley Cup. And nearly to a man, the Bruins pointed to that November night of mayhem against the Stars as the key point when that team came together, with the bonds forged a key to their success the rest of the season.

"The guys kind of took that game as a momentum-builder," Patrice Bergeron said later that season. "I thought we really played as a team and we all stepped up for each other and it was a great game."

That kind of camaraderie was largely absent last season, most notably in the lack of response to Matt Cooke's cheap shot on Marc Savard. But the Bruins have gotten back to that all-for-one style a bit this season, with another fight-filled game against Atlanta on Dec. 23 sparking Boston's current run.

After coming out flat in a 3-0 loss to Anaheim three days earlier, Shawn Thornton set the tone against the Thrashers with a fight off the opening faceoff, then everyone on the ice got involved late in the third following Freddy Meyer's high hit on Milan Lucic. Since that game, the Bruins have gone 12-4-3 and taken over the lead in the Northeast Division.

It's not quite as dramatic a roll as what followed the brawls with Dallas, but the Bruins might just have a chance to build on it as the Stars return to Boston for the first time since that 2008 donnybrook on Tuesday.

Many of the characters have changed for this sequel. Eleven players from the Bruins' roster that night are no longer with the club, and 11 Stars have moved on as well, including Avery. But Ott remains, as do respective enforcers Thornton and Krys Barch, who dropped the gloves with each other that night.

The penalty box attendants aren't likely to be anywhere near as busy in this one, but there might still be some flickering embers left from that inferno, and at the very least a return visit from the Stars should serve as a reminder of the kind of physical style and camaraderie the Bruins need to play with to be successful.

Boston is six games out in the American League East after splitting four games in New York. Behind Jon Lester and some overpowering bullpen work, the Sox won the finale 2-1, heading north on a positive note and still talking about potentially winning the division.

Daisuke Matsuzaka, who has quietly been one of Boston's best performers of late, will start the opener in the Rogers Centre. Ricky Romero goes for the Jays, who just swept three straight from the Tampa Bay Rays.

HEAD TO HEAD

PITCHING MATCHUP

Matsuzaka has allowed just one run in three of his last four starts and saw his ERA drop below 4.00 for the first time all season after a stellar outing at home five days ago. Facing Cleveland, Matsuzaka yielded a run on five hits in eight innings. He is 2-0 with a 2.36 ERA in four starts since the All-Star break.

The 29-year-old righty has given up just three runs in two wins against Toronto this year and is 6-1 in his career vs. the Jays.

Romero has been Toronto's best pitcher for most of the season, but he was downright awful against Boston before the All-Star break. He gave up nine runs — five earned — on five hits and three walks in just 2 1/3 innings.

Wakefield, who was sent to the bullpen near the end of April to make room for Daisuke Matsuzaka, was given the start in order to push back Josh Beckett and to ensure that he remains stretched out going forward.

Matsuzaka gave the Sox five straight wins over the Blue Jays with seven dominant innings in Tuesday's 6-1 victory.

Boston is two games above .500 for the first time all year and with a win will move into third place in the American League East for the first time since April 28.

STAT SHEET

Red Sox

Catcher Jason Varitek hit his sixth home run Tuesday in just his 40th plate appearance of the season. He didn't get his sixth homer in 2009 until his 125th plate appearance. Varitek is averaging a home run every 7.16 plate appearances or a homer per every 6.33 at-bats.

J.D. Drew's bunt single in the fifth inning Tuesday was his first since July 6, 2004.

Kevin Youkilis was hit by a pitch for the 63rd time Tuesday. He is one shy of tying Jim Rice for second on the team's all-time list. Mo Vaughn is the all-time leader with 71.

Dana Eveland went just four innings Tuesday and is the first pitcher since 1952 to go less than five in each of his first five starts against the Red Sox.

Blue Jays pitchers have walked 15 batters in the series.

BLACK AND BLUE

Red Sox

Starter Josh Beckett will miss his scheduled start Friday in Detroit due to back spasms. He tweaked his back swinging in the cage before Monday's game as pitchers get prepared to visit a National League park next weekend. There is no immediate date set for his return.

Center fielder Mike Cameron went 1-for-3 with a walk in his second rehab game for Triple-A Pawtucket on Tuesday. He played center field and led off. Cameron, out since April 18 with an abdominal strain, is expected to take Wednesday off and then play another game with Pawtucket on Thursday.

Left fielder Jacoby Ellsbury ran the bases Tuesday afternoon and increased the intensity throughout the workout. He remains at least a few days away.

Righty Boof Bonser allowed a run in three innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Pawtucket on Friday.

Infielder Jed Lowrie has gained four pounds and is combining baseball-related activities with strength and conditioning this week for the first time since he came down with mono in March. Francona said he could be playing games again in about four weeks.

Blue Jays

Third baseman Edwin Encarnacion is playing extended spring training games in Florida as he recovers from a sore right arm.

Left-hander Marc Rzepczynski is also in Florida pitching in extended spring training games. He is on the DL with a broken left middle finger.

Fellow southpaw Brian Tallet threw on flat ground in Florida on April 28 as he attempts to come back from left forearm soreness.

OUTLOOK

The status of Beckett remains up in the air, so it would seem that Wakefield is not just keeping a seat warm for one turn of the rotation. There is a chance he could make multiple starts as the Sox navigate a dangerous portion of their schedule.

With a victory Wednesday, Boston would finish its 10-game homestand at 8-2 and enter its first day off in two weeks on a high note.

Filed under: Boston Red Sox, Game, Leading Off, Preview, Tony Lee, Toronto Blue Jays]]>http://nesn.com/2010/05/tim-wakefield-rejoins-rotation-as-red-sox-seek-sweep-of-toronto/feed/00nesnstaffTim Wakefield Rejoins Rotation as Red Sox Seek SweepDaisuke Matsuzaka Takes on Blue Jays as Red Sox Look for Third Straight Winhttp://nesn.com/2010/05/daisuke-matsuzaka-gives-it-another-try-vs-blue-jays/
http://nesn.com/2010/05/daisuke-matsuzaka-gives-it-another-try-vs-blue-jays/#respondTue, 11 May 2010 12:52:00 +0000http://nesncom.wordpress.com/2010/05/11/daisuke-matsuzaka-gives-it-another-try-vs-blue-jays/Read More »]]>The Red Sox can move two games above .500 for the first time all year when they host the Toronto Blue Jays in the second of three straight at Fenway Park.

Boston improved to 6-2 on its current 10-game homestand with a hard-fought 7-6 win in Monday’s opener. John Lackey survived a rocky start to pick up his team-leading fourth win.

While Lackey has been one of the more consistent Red Sox starters, Daisuke Matsuzaka has not. Through his first two starts since returning from a neck strain, he has been bitten by the big-inning bug.

Matsuzaka will aim for a more even outing against the Blue Jays, who walked seven and committed two errors in a sloppy effort Monday.

With a win, Boston will tie Toronto in the loss column and clinch a win in a series for the fifth time in seven tries.

HEAD TO HEAD

PITCHING MATCHUP

Like the Red Sox as a whole, Matsuzaka has been extremely inconsistent through his first two starts. Overall, he has given up 12 runs in just 10 innings, but 10 of the runs have come in just two rough innings. In several of his other frames, Matsuzaka has looked very good.

He has also looked good in many of his starts against Toronto. In seven career starts vs. the Jays, Matsuzaka is 4-1 with a 3.86 ERA.

If you throw away a three-inning, seven-run disaster against Boston on April 26, Eveland is 3-1 with a 2.20 ERA in five starts. But that disaster in late April simply follows a career-long trend for the lefty.

In four lifetime starts against the Sox, Eveland is 0-2 with a monstrous 18.24 ERA. He has surrendered 25 runs — all earned — on 30 hits in just 12 1/3 innings.

STAT SHEET

Closer Jonathan Papelbon has converted 22 straight save opportunities since July 30, 2009. He is also 22-for-22 lifetime against Toronto.

Boston is 4-0 vs. Toronto this year. Three of the meetings have been decided by one run. The fourth was a two-run game.

Blue Jays

Brandon Morrow set a Blue Jays record by walking five batters in the second inning on Monday.

Outfielder Fred Lewis is batting .368 (14-for-38) in his last eight games.

Third baseman Jose Bautista has seven hits in the first eight games of Toronto’s 10-game road trip, but six have gone for extra bases (three home runs, one triple, two doubles).

BLACK AND BLUE

Red Sox

Right fielder J.D. Drew was scratched on Monday with a case of vertigo.

Starter Josh Beckett tweaked his back swinging in the cage before Monday’s game as pitchers get prepared to visit a National League park next weekend. He will be re-evaluated on Tuesday morning.

Center fielder Mike Cameron went 1-for-3 with a double, a walk and a run scored in his first rehab game for Triple-A Pawtucket on Monday. He served as the designated hitter and led off, but is expected to play center field Tuesday. Cameron has been out since April 18 with an abdominal strain.

No specific timetable has been set for left fielder Jacoby Ellsbury as he continues to recover from rib/chest injuries. He continues to take batting practice and is getting closer to a return, according to manager Terry Francona.

Reliever Ramon Ramirez left Saturday’s game with tightness in his right triceps muscle. He was deemed ready to go as of Monday.

Righty Boof Bonser allowed a run in three innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Pawtucket on Friday.

Infielder Jed Lowrie has gained four pounds and is combining baseball-related activities with strength and conditioning this week for the first time since he came down with mono in March. Francona said he could be playing games again in about four weeks.

Blue Jays

Third baseman Edwin Encarnacion is playing extended spring training games in Florida as he recovers from a sore right arm.

Left-hander Marc Rzepczynski is also in Florida pitching in extended spring training games. He is on the DL with a broken left middle finger.

Fellow southpaw Brian Tallet threw on flat ground in Florida on April 28 as he attempts to come back from left forearm soreness.

OUTLOOK

While the two losses during Boston’s current 10-game homestand were difficult to watch, the club was won the other six and can reach a new high-water mark with a win on Tuesday.

Matsuzaka has had some very good starts against Toronto over the years. This would be a great time for him to put together his first quality start of 2010.

Filed under: Boston Red Sox, Game, Leading Off, Preview, Tony Lee, Top Stories, Toronto Blue Jays]]>http://nesn.com/2010/05/daisuke-matsuzaka-gives-it-another-try-vs-blue-jays/feed/00nesnstaffDaisuke Matsuzaka Takes on Blue Jays as Red Sox Look for Third Straight WinDaisuke Matsuzaka Takes on Blue Jays as Red Sox Look for Third Straight WinJon Lester, Red Sox Look to Complete Sweep in Torontohttp://nesn.com/2010/04/jon-lester-red-sox-look-to-complete-sweep-in-toronto/
http://nesn.com/2010/04/jon-lester-red-sox-look-to-complete-sweep-in-toronto/#respondWed, 28 Apr 2010 11:31:11 +0000http://nesncom.wordpress.com/2010/04/28/jon-lester-red-sox-look-to-complete-sweep-in-toronto/Read More »]]> The Red Sox seek their first series sweep of the season when they face the Toronto Blue Jays in the finale of a three-game series which has offered up a couple of nail-biters thus far.

Following a 13-12 slugfest in the opener, the Sox rode an outstanding effort by Clay Buchholz to a 2-1 victory Tuesday night. It continued a remarkable run of close games for Boston, which has recorded each of its last six wins by one run.

The final game of the set offers an opportunity for Jon Lester to get his first win of the season.

Mike Lowell, who pinch hit for David Ortiz in the eighth inning Tuesday and forced in the go-ahead run with a bases-loaded walk, will likely be in the lineup against Toronto lefty Brett Cecil.

STAT SHEET

Boston is 32-25 against Toronto since 2007, despite being outscored by six runs in that span.

The Sox' run of six straight one-run wins is the team's longest such streak since 1943.

J.D. Drew is hitting .304 (7-for-23) with a home run and eight RBIs during a six-game hitting streak.

Blue Jays

Center fielder Vernon Wells remains one home run shy of becoming the fourth player in team history to hit 200 with the club.

Right fielder Travis Snider is 1-for-18 in his last five games.

Closer Kevin Gregg had yet to issue a walk in 8 2/3 innings before coming on to walk Lowell on four straight pitches in the eighth inning Tuesday.

BLACK AND BLUE

Red Sox

A CT scan done on left fielder Jacoby Ellsbury revealed hairline fractures in four ribs. He was eligible to return from the 15-day disabled list Tuesday. Team officials said his treatment plan will not change and he will resume play only when his symptoms are gone. Ellsbury said Sunday that he feels about the same as he has for a week or so, and his baseball-related activities are "light."

Daisuke Matsuzaka threw 69 pitches in a four-inning simulated game Monday. He will be activated from the disabled list later this week and is expected to start Saturday in Baltimore. In three rehab starts in the minors while recovering from a neck strain, the right-hander was 2-0 with a 1.62 ERA.

Center fielder Mike Cameron was placed on the 15-day disabled list last Tuesday with a sports hernia. His term is retroactive to April 19. Both he and Ellsbury traveled with the team to Toronto.

Blue Jays

Third baseman Edwin Encarnacion was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday with a right shoulder injury.

Tallet was also placed on the DL on Friday with left forearm soreness. The move is retroactive to April 18.

Right-handers Scott Richmond and Jesse Litsch are both on the 60-day DL and targeting June returns.

OUTLOOK

Lester needs to take that next step, especially with his counterpart atop the rotation, Josh Beckett, continuing to struggle. The Jays give him a good chance to do so. Not only has Lester had great success in the series, but Toronto's free-swinging ways in 2010 present a juicy matchup.

The Sox get a day off after the series is over. They would love to take a sweep into the off day and then head to Baltimore, a second home to the club over the years, on a good note.

Filed under: Boston Red Sox, Game, Leading Off, Preview, Tony Lee, Top Stories, Toronto Blue Jays]]>http://nesn.com/2010/04/jon-lester-red-sox-look-to-complete-sweep-in-toronto/feed/00nesnstaffJon Lester, Red Sox Look to Complete Sweep in TorontoJon Lester, Red Sox Look to Complete Sweep in TorontoClay Buchholz Looks to Cool Down Toronto’s Bats in Game 2http://nesn.com/2010/04/clay-buchholz-looks-to-cool-down-torontos-bats-in-game-2/
http://nesn.com/2010/04/clay-buchholz-looks-to-cool-down-torontos-bats-in-game-2/#respondTue, 27 Apr 2010 17:53:00 +0000http://nesncom.wordpress.com/2010/04/27/clay-buchholz-looks-to-cool-down-torontos-bats-in-game-2/Read More »]]> We will see if the Red Sox and Blue Jays have any runs left in them when they meet in the middle game of a three-game set Tuesday at Rogers Centre.

The teams combined for 34 hits in Boston's 13-12 win in Monday's opener. Josh Beckett gave up eight runs in three-plus innings but the Sox' offense picked him up.

Five players had three hits, Jason Varitek had four RBIs and former Blue Jay Marco Scutaro scored four times.

The effort gave Boston five wins in seven games, each coming by one run.

HEAD TO HEAD

PITCHING MATCHUP

Quietly, Clay Buchholz has been the Red Sox best starter, getting a bit better each time out. He struck out a career-high 10 in a hard-luck 3-0 loss to Texas on Thursday.

Buchholz has allowed just three earned runs in his last 13 2/3 innings overall. He is 3-3 with a 3.79 ERA against Toronto.

Marcum missed all of 2009 following elbow surgery but flirted with a no-hitter in his season debut. He has remained solid since and carries an impressive 23-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio into Tuesday's action.

In 11 games — six starts — against the Red Sox, the righty is 4-2 with a 3.67 ERA.

STAT SHEET

Second baseman Dustin Pedroia had two stolen bases Monday for the first time since last June 17.

Scutaro, Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis were a combined 9-for-15 with nine runs scored.

Opponents are hitting .063 (2-for-32) against Manny Delcarmen this year.

Blue Jays

Third baseman Jose Bautista has three homers and 11 RBIs in his last seven games.

Center fielder Vernon Wells is one home run shy of 200 and needs three RBIs to move into second on the all-time Blue Jays list.

Outfielder Travis Snider was the only Toronto starter without a hit Monday is now just 8-for-60 (.133) this season.

BLACK AND BLUE

Red Sox

A CT scan done on left fielder Jacoby Ellsbury revealed hairline fractures in four ribs. He is eligible to return from the 15-day disabled list April 27. Team officials said his treatment plan will not change and he will resume play only when his symptoms are gone. Ellsbury said Sunday that he feels about the same as he has for a week or so, and his baseball-related activities are "light".

Daisuke Matsuzaka threw 69 pitches in a four-inning simulated game Monday. He will be activated from the disabled list later this week and is expected to start Saturday in Baltimore. In three rehab starts in the minors while recovering from a neck strain, the right hander was 2-0 with a 1.62 ERA.

Center fielder Mike Cameron was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday with a sports hernia. His term is retroactive to April 19. Both he and Ellsbury traveled with the team to Toronto.

Blue Jays

Third baseman Edwin Encarnacion was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday with a right shoulder injury.

Lefty Brian Tallet was also placed on the DL on Friday with left forearm soreness. The move is retroactive to April 18.

Right handers Scott Richmond and Jesse Litsch are both on the 60-day DL and targeting June returns.

OUTLOOK

Buchholz has been a better pitcher when he knows his role, and now that his spot in the rotation is secure, look for him to continue his progression. The Sox could sure use it — their rotation has an ERA of 5.56, 13th in the American League, and six relievers were needed Monday.